Sali Botiસાલી બોટી
⏱ Prep 20m🍳 Cook 70m🍽 Serves 4🌿 Non-veg
Video: Get Curried (YouTube)
Sali Boti is one of the crown jewels of Parsi cooking — tender mutton braised in a tangy, sweet-savory gravy, then crowned with a crisp mound of shoestring potatoes (the sali). Born in the Zoroastrian kitchens of Gujarat, this dish captures everything the Parsi palate loves: the gentle sourness of vinegar, the warmth of dhana jiru, and that irresistible sweet-tart note from dried apricots. Serve it at a Navroz feast or any Sunday the whole family gathers — it never disappoints.
📍 Make it in Plano
This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.
Finding Desi spots near Plano…
Ingredients
- ▪mutton or bone-in lamb, cut into 2-inch pieces750 g
- ▪onions, finely sliced3 large
- ▪ripe tomatoes, chopped3 medium
- ▪ginger-garlic paste2 tbsp
- ▪green chilies, slit2
- ▪dried apricots, soaked 30 min and roughly chopped8–10
- For the masala
- ▪dhana jiru (Parsi coriander-cumin powder)2 tsp
- ▪Kashmiri red chili powder1½ tsp
- ▪turmeric powder½ tsp
- ▪white vinegar1 tbsp
- ▪jaggery (or sugar)1 tsp
- ▪oil or ghee4 tbsp
- ▪saltto taste
- For the sali (crispy potatoes)
- ▪potatoes, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks3 large
- ▪oil for deep-fryingas needed
🌍 Cooking abroad? Substitutions
- Dried apricots are the defining sweet-tart element — look for them at Middle Eastern, Persian, or South Asian grocers in your area. Outside South Asia, 2 tablespoons of good apricot jam stirred in at the end makes a solid substitute.
- Dhana jiru is a Parsi blend of roasted coriander and cumin ground together — most Indian grocery stores abroad carry it. In a pinch, combine 1½ tsp ground coriander with ½ tsp ground cumin, though the toasted Parsi version adds more depth.
- Bone-in mutton gives the richest gravy, but boneless lamb shoulder works well if you prefer cleaner bites. In a pressure cooker, reduce the simmering time to 15–18 minutes on high pressure, then uncover and reduce the gravy on high heat for a few minutes.
Method
- 1Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions and cook, stirring often, until deep golden-brown — about 15–18 minutes. Caramelized onions are the backbone of the gravy; do not rush this step.
- 2Add ginger-garlic paste and green chilies; stir 1–2 minutes until the raw smell fades. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they break down completely and oil separates from the sides, about 8 minutes.
- 3Reduce heat to medium. Add dhana jiru, red chili powder, and turmeric. Stir and cook the masala for 2 minutes.
- 4Add the mutton pieces; increase heat to high and sear for 3–4 minutes, turning to coat every piece in the masala.
- 5Add soaked dried apricots, vinegar, jaggery, and salt. Pour in just enough water to cover the meat (about 1–1½ cups). Stir, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
- 6Cover and simmer 45–55 minutes until mutton is completely tender and the gravy has reduced to a rich, glossy consistency. Taste and adjust salt, vinegar, and jaggery to fine-tune the sweet-sour-savory balance.
- 7While the boti simmers, pat potato matchsticks completely dry. Deep-fry in hot oil at 175°C in batches until golden and crisp, 4–5 minutes per batch. Drain on paper and season lightly with salt.
- 8Ladle the boti into a wide serving dish. Pile the crispy sali generously on top — eat immediately so the contrast of tender meat and crunchy potatoes stays intact.
- 9Serve with fresh pao (Parsi dinner rolls), steamed basmati rice, or soft rotlis.
A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.